Underlining: meaning, definitions and examples

Ideal for emphasizing text by drawing a line beneath it, typically in handwritten or printed documents.

• Make sure you are underlining the key terms in your notes.
• In the draft, underlining was used to point out the main arguments.

Commonly used in digital contexts to emphasize something subtly, often represented by an underline character (_). Alternatively, used to emphasize the importance of an idea or fact in writing or speech.

• The email address should always include an underscore between the name and domain.
• The professor wanted to underscore the importance of academic integrity in his lecture.

Used to mark important parts of text using a bright color, often in digital documents or with a marker in physical texts.

• Highlight the most critical sentences in the report.
• She used a yellow marker to highlight key sections of the contract.

Activism, graphic design, and anything that requires emphasis through the use of a line directly beneath the text. Generally visual and typically employed in academic and editorial contexts.

• He used underlining to make the titles in his essay stand out.
• In her notes, important terms have underlining.

Typing, programming, and situations where a physical or scripted separator is needed, often in texts and file names. Also metaphorically means to stress or emphasize an idea.

• File names should not contain spaces; use an underscore instead.
• The report underscores the need for urgent action.

Digital documents, education, and study material where bright colors or marks are utilized to draw attention to significant portions. Often used metaphorically to point out key points.

• The teacher asked the students to highlight key sections in the textbook.
• The software allows users to highlight important code.